Machine for combing and brushing hatters  furs not on the skin



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

C. E. SAGKETT.

MACHINE FOR OOMBING AND BRUSHING HATTERS IE'UES NOT ON THE SKIN.

7 No. 426,218. Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

WITNESSES I INVENTOR O MW %j,;, 25 W c/w @M 3 T m E K G A S E 0 MACHINE FOR GOMBING AND BRUSHING HATTBRS FURS NOT ON THE SKIN.

No. 426,218. Patented Apr. 22. l 90.

WITNESSES INVEA 101;

(No Model.) B Sheets-Sheet 3.

C. E. SAOKET'T. MACHINE FOR GOMBING AND BRUSHING HATTERS FURS NOT ON THE SKIN.

Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

i M 1 w o A l o WITNESSES: INVENTOH win/W %1- c z aozah UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. SACKETT, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR COMBING AND BRUSHING HATTERS FURS NOT ON THE SKIN.

fiPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,218, dated April 22, 1890.

Application filed May 21, 1889. Serial No. 311,645. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. SACKETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Danbury, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Combing and Brushing Hatters Furs not on the Skin; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, in connection with. the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The desideratum in preparing batters furs for making hats is to have every fiber of fur separate from its neighbor. The union of three or four fibers is known in the trade as a "dog, and when it appears on the surface of a hat, as itis liable to do, causes it to be rejected as a knockdown. Much time and expense are spent by hat-1nanufacturerS in try ing to separate the fibers of ordinary hattcrs furs or to free them from the dogs, which are innumerable in the best grades. The method most generally, if not universally, employed has been to blow the fur repeatedly through long blowing-machines of four to eight or more sections-a machine which operates on the principle of winnowing the dogs from the individual fibers by tossing the fur into the air and allowing the heavier or united fibers to settle below and away from the single The machine acts very imperfectly, as the wind-current generated in the tossing process is sufficient to carry on dogs as well as individual fibers. A large percentage of all hats made are known as knockdowns, and the hatter suffers in addition the loss of material always occasioned by repeated blowin gs and of the dogs dropped which might easily be separated into good fur had he an adequate process. The defect of the present machines is a lack of sufficient attrition for the purpose. Heretofore it has been the custom to try to separate all the fur fibers before the fur is cut from the skin by the natural process of combing and brushing it; but at this stage the roots of the fur cannot be reached easily, if at all, and attempts to do so, or even to brush out all the dogs, caused by carroting the fur, results in a large loss of fur to the cutter, who naturally slights it.

The object of my invention, primarily, is to comb and brush loose furs after they have been cut from the skin. The difficulty is to hold the fur fibers long enough and delicately enough to subject them to the process without shortening the staple.

In the accompanying drawings like figures and letters refer to like parts.

Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a vertical crosssection. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section across the brushing and combing mechanism. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of same, showing its vertical adj ustment.

In Figs. 1 and 2, a is a section of an ordinary fur-blower. I show itin connection with my improved section I), because all cut furs as sold to batters have more or less pieces of pelt left in them from which the fur has not been out, and therefore cannot be separated into fibers. Section a is a very good apparatus to drop such, and also illustrates the usual manner of blowing furs. It may be used in connection with my apparatus, or not, as desired.

My improved section b consists, primarily, of a closed or partially-closed cylinder 1,0011- taining a revolving brush 2. The purpose of the cylinder is to confine the fur within reach of the action of the brush, instead of tossing it into the surrounding air by a picker-barrel, as is now usual. The action of such a revolving brush will be to generate a stilt wind-current, and the tendency of the fur will be to travel in the direction of the brush and to fly away from it. Consequently it would pass through the space between it and the surrounding cylinder very speedily and with little or no attrition, if allowed to do so. As a simple method of providing attrition, teeth can be inserted into the space from the outside of the cylinder and the fur be brushed through them, thereby combing it; but that will not provide sufficient elasticity, delicacy, or adj list-ability to suit all purposes. To provide for these, I introduce into the space between the brush and the cylindrical casing, first, a series of revolving toothed barrels or combs 3 3 3, which revolve, preferably, in a direction contrary to the revolution of the brush, and, secondly, by placing between the revolving barrels a series of adjustable partitions or combs l i a, preferably provided with stationary teeth inserted in their edges.

The action of the barrels will be to strip the fur from the brush, to distribute or disintegrate it, and to carry it over to the next partition or comb, where it is returned to the brush, which, by its suction and velocity,will carry the fur through the teeth of the comb, to be again lifted and disintegrated by the next barrel, and so on to the exit-passage 19, or the barrels may be revolved in the same direction as the brush is running, but at slower speed, so as to retard the fur and cause the brush to comb it through them.

Different grades of fur will require different treatmentsome harshly, some delicately-lest the fiber of the fur be shortened. To provide for this, I use as bristles for the brush some material having a very long flexible fiber. Its harshness can then be entirely regulated by the speed the brush is driven at. At a moderate speed the combs 4 4 can be depressed into the bristles and the fur fibers held directly against them for purposes of attrition without any danger to the fur fibers. For very delicate fur the teeth both of the revolving and stationary combs should be set clear of the brush. The Wind-vortices created by the countenrevolution of the toothed barrels will furnish a severe attrition without the teeth or brush touching each other. The object is to give the construction a simple and Wide range of adjustment. To facilitate this, I make both the barrels and the comb partitions vertically adjustable, each working in its own compartment.

Stationary metal teeth in cylinders intersecting other metal teeth on a central revolving barrel are in daily use as fur-mixers. Such barrels have to be driven at high speed, and everything is fixed and rigid. The teeth are placed wide apart to avoid striking or rubbing against the stationary teeth. I11 such machines the fur always travels in one direction and more or less in masses. There is no counter wind-current, and they have no rubbing action capable of separating or disintegrating fur fibers, as their principle is diametrically opposite to mine, which is the elastic contact of the passing surfaces of the teeth and brush fibers, together with the reversion and redistribution of the fur at intervals in its passage and the combination of materials adapted to that purpose. The toothed barrels 3 3 and combs 4- a are both made vertically adjustable from without the cylinder, the barrels by being journaled in boxes 5 5, supported by screws 6, passing through nuts 7 '7, which are carried on circular flanges cast on the cylinder-sides. The sliding combs 4 are recessed in chambers 8, supported by bolts 9, passing through the cylindencover and held in position by a nut 10. The bolt 9 passes through a spiral spring 11, which acts between the comb and the cylinder-cover. It is evident that turning the nut 10 will raise or depress the comb, while an undue pressure of the brush or a banking of the fur will raise the combautomatically and elastically. It is desirable that the machine be constructed to use as many or as few toothed barrels or combs as may be needed, and that they be easily removable.

For the removal of the partition combs the cylinder-cover is constructed in sections, as 12 12, each section covering a barrel and comb. As an easier and separate method of withdrawing the barrels, circular orifices are cast in the sides of the cylinder large enough to pass the barrels. These orifices are closed by split covers 13, which are held in place by connecting-arches 14 and thumb nuts 15. Thesecovers aid in the easy inspection and adjustment of the barrels.

The central revolving brush may be used with more or less of the revolving barrels 3 only, or with more or less of the stationary combs at only, according to the material used. Nor do I limit myself as to any particular size of brush or cylinder or to their use by themselves. A small brush revolving in a small cylinder may be used to advantage between every section of an ordinary fur-blowing machine; but I think the form shown in the drawings will save room and answer all purposes.

The fur is fed to the cylinder-brush from one side through an inlet-passage 16, provided with a pair of feed-rolls 17 and a toothed revolving barrel 18, which feeds the fur to the brush. ()n the opposite side, and preferably as near the inlet-passage as convenient, so as to utilize all the brush-surface, I provide an exit-passage 19, with a pair of toothed barrels 20 and 21, running in opposite directions. 20 strips the fur from the brush, in which it is aided by the comb 22, while barrel 21 receives and tosses the fur into the air, after the manner of picker-barrels generally in ordinary blowing-machine sect-ions, as 0. Such heavy material as has been separated from the fur in its passage through section b, or which refuses to be disintegrated, Will then drop upon the usual return sieves and aprons, to be fed over again or to be classed as waste. light separated fibers will be carried up by the wind-current to the regular deliveryapron, which deposits the finished and purified fur in the box at the end of the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

1. The combination of a comb and a fibrous brush, with mechanism for operating the same, in disintegrating hatters furs not on the skin, whereby the fur is combed through or against the fibers of the brush, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a brush and a surrounding casing closed except at its ingress and egress openings, the purpose of the easing being to confine the fur fibers and retard them by interior mechanism While they are exposed to the disintegrating action of ab rush, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in an apparatus for IIO combing and brushing hatters furs not on the skin, of a cylindrical easing provided with i11- ternal teeth or other protuberances which act as combs, and an elastic medium of attritionsuch as a fibrous brush-revolving freely through or against said teeth or combs, said elastic medium of attrition permitting the fur or itself to be carried at high speed in close contact through or against the edge of said combs for the purpose of disintegrating fur fibers, as set forth, and substantially as described and shown.

4:. The combination,with an elastic fibrous brush revolving within a cylindrical casing provided with stationary internal project ing teeth or other protuberances, for the purpose of combing fur fibers through the brush, of a series of revolving picker-barrels surrounding its periphery, for the purpose of stripping the fur from the brush, retarding its movement, and disintegrating it into separate fur fibers at intervals, for the purposes set forth, and substantially as described and shown.

5. In an apparatus for combing and brushing hatters furs not on the skin, the combination of revolving toothed barrels or revolving brushes inclosed in the same compartment or casing, said casing being provided with stationary internal teeth or other internal proj ecting protuberances which operate in combination with. the revolving barrels or brushes for the disintegration of the fur fibers, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a brush revolving within a surrounding cylinder, for the purpose of disintegrating fur fibers not on the skin, of adjustable gates or partitions projecting within the cylinder to obstruct the fur in its passage, and, if desired, force it down against the brush fibers at intervals,'for the purposes set forth, and substantially as described.

7. The combination, with a cylinderhaving inwardlyprojecting gates or partitions surrounding a revolving brush, of teeth set into their inner edges, for the purpose of combing the fur carried under them by the brush, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with a cylinder having inwardlyprojcot-ing partitions surrounding a revolving brush, of a cylindencasing having recesses in which the partitions are made movable and operated from without by suitable connections, substantially as described.

9. The combination, in an apparatus for disintegrating hatters furs, of a cylindrical casing constructed for convenience in sectional parts, as 12 12, each part containing a recess 8, in which a sliding comb t is made movable, the movement being obtained. by the bolt 9, made fast in the comb 4, and nut 10 without the casing, the bolt 9 passing through a spiral spring 11, which abuts be tween the comb and the casing, thus providing an elastic contact between the comb-teeth and the revolving brush fibers, for the purposes set forth, and substantially as described and shown.

10. The combination, with a fibrous brush revolving in a cylinder provided with internal teeth or other protuberances attached to or projecting from its inner surface, of an ingress-passage for supplying fur to be disintegrated in its passage by the action of the brush through or against the teeth, and an egress-passage for exit of the fur after disintegration, substantially as described and shown.

11. In combination with a cylindrical easing provided with internal teeth or other protuberances projecting from its inner surface and containing a revolving fibrous brush in tersecting said teeth, for the purpose of disintegrating fur fibers, as aforesaid, and also provided with ingress and egress passages, the combination therewith of a pair of feedrolls for feeding the fur in or retarding its exit from the cylinder, substantially as described.

12. In combination with a cylindrical casing containing a revolving brush surrounded with mechanism for disintegrating fur fibers, recessed in said casing, the construction of said casing in sections, as 12 12, independently removable, for the purpose of cleaning or removing the mechanism of each section independently, substantially as described.

13. In combination with a cylinder containing a revolving brush surrounded by smaller revolving barrels, the combination of orifices cast in the cylinder-sides for removing the barrels and the sectional side plates, and retaining-arches for covering the same, sub stantially as described.

14:. In combination with a fibrous brush revolving in a cylindrical casing supplied with teeth or other protuberances projecting from its inner surface and surrounded. with smaller disintegrating-barrels, for the purposes set forth, the combination, without the cylinder, of adjustable boxes in which the shafts of the smaller barrels are j ournaled, for the purpose of vertical adjustment with the central brush, substantially as described.

15. In an apparatus for disintegrating hatters furs, a cylindrical casing provided with internal teeth or projecting protuberances operating in connection with an inclosed revolving fibrous brush, in. combination with one or more blowing-machine sections, substantially as set forth CHAS. E. SACKETT,

Witnesses:

L. STARKMEYER, HENRY Dosn.

IIO 

